BN-104

Servier is continuing to add to its oncology pipeline, announcing on Friday a deal to acquire an experimental menin inhibitor from Chinese firm BioNova Pharmaceuticals that is currently in Phase I/II development for the treatment of acute leukaemias. While exact financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, Servier will make a cash payment, with BioNova eligible for additional earn-outs.Claude Bertrand, Servier's executive vice president of R&D, called BioNova's asset — dubbed BN104 — "a natural fit" with the company's focus on developing targeted therapies for genetically defined patient populations. In March, Servier in-licensed Black Diamond Therapeutics' experimental small-molecule drug BDTX-4933, which targets both RAS mutations and RAF alterations in solid tumours.Servier labelled BN104 "a potential best-in-class" menin inhibitor for the treatment of acute leukaemias with a KMT2A gene rearrangement or NPM1 mutation. Results presented at last year's American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting showed that in patients with relapsed refractory acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and a KMT2A gene rearrangement, the small-molecule drug achieved a complete response/complete response with partial hematologic recovery rate of 60.9%. Meanwhile, in those with a NPM1 mutation, the rate was 40%.The French firm noted that in line with its 2030 strategy, it aims to accelerate global development of BN104 in mutated AML, as well as for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.Syndax's Revuforj (revumenib) became the first approved menin inhibitor when it gained FDA clearance at the end of last year for patients with relapsed or refractory KMT2A-rearranged acute leukaemia. A handful of other menin inhibitors are also in development, led by Kura Oncology/Kyowa Kirin's ziftomenib and Johnson & Johnson's earlier-stage programme bleximenib.